Pune citizen activist issues legal notice to Maha Metro over construction of Yerawada and Ramwadi Metro stations
Qaneez Sukhrani, Pune citizen activist, along with Ashutosh Mashruwala and Umesh Magar, has issued a legal notice to Maha Metro, Pune Urban Metropolitan Transport Authority (PUMTA), Government of Maharashtra, PMC, Police etc regarding the construction of Ramwadi & Yerawada Metro stations.
As per further information from Qaneez Sukhrani, here are the excerpts of the legal notice sent through Adv Ronita Bector:
· “My clients are concerned citizens of Pune, who have been closely observing the development of the Metro Project on Nagar Road, Pune. At the very outset, My Clients wish to state that they are in support of all public transport, including, the Metro Project in Pune, but are disturbed to see several evident examples of poor placement, poor planning and poor execution of the Metro Project in Pune.”
· “In particular, my clients are aggrieved by the manner in which the both sets of Metro Stations at Ramwadi and Yerwada on Nagar Road have been placed and designed, without application of mind to the hazards face by pedestrians and public, restriction in traffic movement, congestion and roadblocks that will be caused by the fact that the staircases, lifts and escalators for passengers to alight and disembark from the Metro Stations encroach directly onto the Right of Way (“Row”) of Nagar Road.”
· “My clients are particularly aggrieved by the fact the Metro Project has not apportioned parking bays for private vehicles, auto rickshaws and feeder buses.”
· “My clients state that the staircases, lifts and escalators from the Metro Stations have encroached on the road and pavements space which is part of the end-to-end 60m road as per the sanctioned Development Plan of Pune City. Therefore, this has reduced the width of the carriageway and RoW below the station significantly by over 7 metres on each side. This, consequently will result in restricted and slow movement of vehicles, and will further result in congestion on the already crowded road along with safety hazards for pedestrians and the public.”
· “Further due to the fact that the Maha Metro has chosen to ignore the suggestions and issues raised by my Clients prior to constructing the Yerawada and Ramwadi stations, my Clients are constrained to now, as a last resort by way of this Legal Notice, call upon you all to ensure that government / private land bearing final plot nos.70/1 to 70/6 at Sangamwadi, Survey No.1 (Om Mahaveer Society) at Yerwada, survey no. 30 (part) at Wadgaonsheri survey no. 26,28 at Ramwadi (Wadgaonsheri) or any other nearby government / private land (within 100m) be developed for the purpose of parking of private vehicles, waiting of auto rickshaws and feeder buses at the Ramwadi and Yerwada Metro Stations respectively through leasing / buying from private owners, land acquisition proceedings or allotment by the government as the case maybe.”
The notice also mentions that if the concerned authorities fail to respond to this legal notice, further appropriate legal proceedings will be initiated.
